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OLD MARKETS 



OF 



NEW BRUNSWICK 



BY 



JOHN P. WALL 



19 14 



COMPLIMENTS OF — . 

John P. Wall, 



NEW^ BRUNSWICK. N. J. 



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• ^ ^ " ^ RECEIPT. 



O F 



Ne\A/ Bruns\A/ick 



B Y 



JOHN P. WALL 



PRINTED PRIVATELY 

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NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. 

The Home News Publishing Co. 

1 914 



The Old Markets 



O F 



New Brunswick 



B Y 



JOHN P. WALL 



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NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. 

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1014 



THE OLD MARKETS 



OF 



NEW BRUNSWCIK 



The early settlers of New Bruns- 
wick brought with them many of the 
traits and customs ol their old home 
towns, among these being the nabit 
of trading at a central place and 
bartering with the farmer for his 
produce. At firet the business was 
done in the open field, but as the 
townsfolks prospered they built at 
first covered sheds, and later on 
good, substantial buildings with 
stalls, which took the place of so 
many small store?;. 

A market for the citizens of New 
Brunswick was one of the firet ac- 
commodations looked after by these 
sturdy old settlers. The earliest rec- 
ord we have in reference to this mat- 
ter is the following ordinance: 

•tResulations ior the Market. 

•'Be itt ordained by the Mayor, Re- 
corder, Aldermen and Assistants in 
Common Council convened, and by 
the authority of the same itts or- 
dained, that the market place under 
the Court room be ar-d is hereby ap- 
pointed to be the publick Market 
place of this City, and that all flech. 
poultry. Eggs, butter, Cheese, herbs, 
roots, fruits, &c., ihit shall be ex- 
posed to sale on the markett days in 
any other place in this City, than in 
the public markett aforesuid, shall 
be forfeited to the poor of this City, 
whether found in the hands of the 
buyer or seller; and that itt shall 
and may be lawful for the Clerk of 
the market. Sheriff, or any other 
magistrate of the said City, the same 
to seize and thereof dispose to the 
poor as aforesaid. 



"No Huckster to Buy Till Two Hours 
in the Markett. 

"And be it further ordained by the 
authority aforesaid, that no person 
or Huckster to sell again shall buy 
any flesh, fish, fowl, butter, Cheese, 
Eggs, heibs, rooto, &^ , or any other 
sort of provisions, saleable till it 
iiath been two hours in the markett 
upon forfeiture of Six Shillings, and 
also what shall oe so sold or bought. 
And be it further ordained, by the 
authorities aforesaid. That on Mar- 
kett days no person shall buy or 
cheapen any provisions going to mar- 
kett, upon the forfeiture of Six Shil- 
ling'3. And be it ordained by the 
authority aforesaid. That no un- 
wholefrome or Stale Victuals be sold 
in the markett under the penalty of 
forty shillings." 

Thif^ must have been adopte,! on 
the receipt of the city charter on 
December 30, 1730, or very shortly 
thereafter, as on Novemuer 12, 1733, 
"The former Law relating to the 
Markett is renewed and confirmed," 
which is proof that the law was in 
force for some time previous. 

The ordinance under which the 
first market was built was pas'sed at 
a meeting of Common Council held 
at the Court House May 3, 1743, the 
preamble of which is as follows: 

"Whereas Lawrence Williamson 
bv Deed bearing Date the Sixth Day 
of February 174 2 hath granted and 
Conveyed unto Dirck Van Aesdalen 
and William Duke a Certain Lot of 
Land Scituate Lying in Trust and 
for the use and benefit of the In- 
habitants of this City to and for the 



THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 



Greeting and l)uilding of a Market 
House in this City. And whereas it 
appears to tliis Common Council that 
Divers of the Freemen and Inhabi- 
tants of this city have Subscribed 
Sundry Sums of Money for and to- 
ward building of the said Market 
House on the Lot afore'said, and have 
also Exhibited a petition to this 
Common Council approving of the 
Situation of the place and Judging 
it Highly reasonable and necessary 
that a market house should be built 
on said Lot and the Market kept 
under proper Regulations." 

The Market House was to be 
"thirty foot in Length and fourteen 
foot in Breadth and to stand on a 
stone foundation, and the Roof to be 
supported by brick pillar-o, the roof 
to project at least two foot over on 
Every side, the same to be placed in 
the most commodious and uniform 
manner that the said Ground can or 
will admit of." The full ordinance 
will be found in the "Charter and 
Ordinances" issued by the New 
Brunswick Historical Society. 

The last market the city had stood 
on Hiram street, between Neilson 
and Dennis streets, on the site now 
occupied by the office of the city 
weigher. This is the market place 
shown in the accompanying picture. 
The early minutes of Common Coun- 
cil gives a very complete account of 
the agitation for and building of the 
Hiram street market. 

At the town meeting held at the 
Court House, April 5, 1796, it was 
voted that a market house be built 
by the inhabitants at a cost of 120 
pounds ($600). and that the choice 
of the house and lot be decided by 
vote. No tax levy was made for this 
appropriation. On April 19, Councu 
men Hardenbergh, Neilson and 
Schureman were appointed a com- 
mittee to select a site for a market 
lot, and this was all that was done 
in the matter until the annual meet- 
ing held at the old market house on 
April 4, 1797, when it was voted 
that the old market house be re 
paired or torn down and a new one 
l)ui.lt on the old site. 

The matter ended up in the old 
market having some slight repaii-s 



made to it, as Common Council did 
not feel that the Corporation could 
afford to expend the necessary money 
for a new one. The agitation died 
out, and it was not until early in 
1810 that "New Market" talk broke 
out again. On June 8 of that year 
Mr. Boggs, for the committee on 
market, which had been appointed 
at a previous meeting, reported the 
following: 

"That they had visited two sites, 
one at the corner of Richmond and 
Queen streets and the other on the 
south side of Hiram street. The 
committee recommended the pur- 
chase by the corporation of 30 feet 
on Hiram street, which, with the 
present width of the street, would 
give them a space of 70 feet in width 
and 2 00 feet in length, upon which 
a long market house could be built 
and yet leave a good driveway at 
each side. 

The report was received and 
adopted, and Messrs. Boggs and 
Paterson were appointed a commit- 
tee to buy the lot. At the next meet- 
inu of the Council, held June 25, a 
petition was received from a num- 
ber of citizens asking that the market 
house be built at the north end of 
the town, at no cost to the c^'ty, the 
petitioners agreeing to guarantee the 
money for the payments of the same. 
The petition was laid on the table 
and no further action was taken up- 
on it. The committee reported at 
this meeting that they had contract- 
ed with Ezekiel Kennen for thirty 
feet on Queen street along the south 
side of Hiram into Dennis street, at 
a cost of $450. 

The next move was made on May 
22. 1812, when $200 was voted for 
the new market house. The commit- 
tee in charge had plans prepared and 
submitted them at the meeting of 
Council on August 28, and Council 
adopted them. They provided for 
a house one hundred and fifty feet 
lonu' and twenty-five feet in width, 
with watch tower over the end of 
^he pier adjoining Queen street. 
Councilmen Dennis, Hardenbergh 
and Hance were appointed a com- 
mittee to contract for the erection 
of the house on the submitted plans. 



THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 



On Nov. 6 the committee reported 
that they had let the contract, but 
could not agree in regard to the sale 
of the old building and lot. After a 
long discussion it was decided to 
make the ground a public square, 
and on April 29, 1813, the bill de- 
claring the ground at the junction 
of Peace and Burnet streets a public 
square forever, was taken up, and 
after a hot debate was adopted. An 
appropriation of $200 was made at 
the meeting of Aug. 23 for the pur- 
pose of paving the same. 

The contractors for the new mar- 
ket building were John L. Voorhees 
and William Lowe. They were paid 
the first installment of $200 for work 
on March 29, 1813. On May 7 it was 
decided to have $85 voted for at 
the annual meeting, for the purpose 
of completing the new market. This 
w^s not done, but instead $500, the 
balance due Lowe and Voorhees, and 
$740, the amount estimated it would 
cost to finish the market, was voted. 

On July 9. the Council notified the 
contractors "that unless they began 
work at once and completed the 
market before August the first, they 
would be compelled to take the con- 
tracts from them and have the work 
done by other men." 

Jacob Wykoff was paid on Nov. 19, 
$60,621/2 for lathino- the market. On 
Jan. 14, 1814, Lowe and Voorhees 
presented their account, which was 
referred to the mayor, and on his 
recommendation the claim, amount- 
ing to $1,100, and an extra one of 
$53.86 for material, and work on 
watch house, was allowed at the 
meeting of Feb. 14, 1814; also one 
of $75.75 from Peter Wykoff for 
extra work and materials; also one 
for $14 m favor of James Williams, 
for gilding and painting the market. 
The mayor was instructed to draw 
h's order in favor of Lowe and Voor- 
hees for the full amount due them. 

At tho meeting of Council held 
March 25, it was decided that the 
floor of the market should be laid 
with good hard bricks, and that 
eight extra shambles or stalls be built 
at the expense of the corporation. 
The committee had the work done at 
a cost of $130. Councilmen Hence, 



Taylor and Potts had the matter in 
hand when the project of a new 
market was launched. 

On July 5th, 1814, the sale of the 
stalls at auction took place, two having 
been previously sold at private sale: 
No. 1 to Jane Boor.for $11.50.and No, 2 
to Joseph E. Tunison, for $9.50; No. 3 
to Ambrose Stell, brought $10 annual- 
ly; No. 4 to David Stell, $10; No. 5 to 
Joseph Runyon, $10; No. 6 to John 
Green, $10; No. 7 to Benj. Dunham, 
$10; No. 8 to John Boice, Jr., $10; No. 
9 to John Van Liew, $10; No. 29 to 
James Fisher, $10. No more leaders 
appearing the vendue was closed. The 
city watch occupied the watch house 
or tower above the market and Council 
later purchased a bell for it. 

The market ran along causing all 
kinds of trouble to the city, and tne 
following proceedings of Common 
Council tells fully the story of our city 
market's rise and fall: 

Common Council Proceedings. 



Market House Proposition. 

On Monday evening, March 3d, 18r.^;, 
the Committee on Public Buildings, 
presented the following reports for tne 
sonsideration of Common (^ouncil and 
the citizens of New Brunswick: — 
To the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, 

and C^ommon Councilmen of the City 

of New Brunswick. 

The Committee to whom was re- 
ferred for examination the condition 
of the Market House, respectfully sub- 
mit the following report and recom- 
mendations: 

They have examined the condition 
and location of the Market- House, and 
find the building in a very poor condi- 
tion, and not at all calculated in its 
appearance or convenience to add any 
credit to the city. They believe that 
the location is very good, but that 
there is not sufficient room. 

They therefore recommend that 
Bayard st' eet be opened through to 
Dennis street; that all the buildings 
and land between Bayard street and 
the Market be purchased by the civ>, 
which purchase will take three dwell- 
ing houses and one store on Neilson 
street, two dwelling houses, black- 
smith and wheelwright shops in front 
of the Market, and part of a small 
house in Dennis street. This will 
make a square two hundred and eight 



THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK, 



feet, from the Middlesex Hotel to Mr. 
Vandeventer's grocery store, and two 
hundred and ninety-five feet from the 
fence of the First Refornied Dutcn 
Church, to the dining- rooms of Mr. R. 
M. Clare. This would make a large 
and handsome square, capable of con- 
taining a Market House, City Hall, or 
other public buildings that may be de- 
sired and decided upon by the citizens 
of New Brunswick hereafter. 

Your committee would suggest, that 
the amount required to purchase the 
land and buildings be ascertained, and 
the amount per centage of tax be 
made known to the public for at least 
■two months, at the end of which time 
an election be held, so that the citizens 
of New Brunswick may decide for 
themselves if they are willing to make 
the improvements. 

Your committee also suggest that 
Dennis street be opened through to 
New street, believing that it would add 
much to the convenience and improve- 
ment of the city. 

A good market place and Lhe changes 
in the streets above recommended, 
would well repay the citizens for th<3 
expense it would put them to, in Lhe 
convenience, beauty and business it 
would add to the city. 

Your committee recommend that 
this report be published in the papers 
of the city for the space of one month, 
in, order that the citizens may con- 
sider the propriety of these recommen- 
dations, and make any suggestions in 
reference thereto that they may think 
would be desirable. 

All of which is respectfully submit- 
ted. 

E. B. WRIGHT, 
H. M. PRICE. 

This is remarkable for its reference 
to the opening of Dennis street, to 
New, and Bayard to Dennis. 

New Brunswick, March 17, 18 62. 

The Committee on Public Buildings, 
at the request of many citizens of New 
Brunswick, beg leave to offer the fol- 
lowing report and recommendations 
concerning the Market : First, that 
the city purchase the prop^^rty be- 
longing to the Neilson estate fronting 
on Burnet street and Dennis street. 
Said lot is about 80 feet on Burnet 
street, from Mr. J. Danberry's store 
to Mr. C. McGinnis's house; from Bur- 
net street to Dennis street about 335 



feet, and about 84 feet on Dennis 
street. They would recomiuend that 
Bayard and Dennis streets be opened 
as described in their report, they be- 
lieve that this would make a good and 
convenient Market place. The old 
Market could be taken down, and the 
square kept for scales, hay, wod, and 
cattle. They have been informed that 
some fifteen hundred dollars will be 
given by parties in the immediate 
neighborhood . If the Board think 
best to adopt this plan, the committee 
recommend that the same course be 
taken before purchasing as recom- 
mended in their other report. 

EDWARD B. V/RIGHT. 
March 7, 1862. 

Monday Evening, March 17, 1862. 

The Board met pursuant to ad- 
journment of March 3d. All the 
members were present except Coun- 
cilman Price. 

The following recommendations 
and resolutions were presented and 
read to the Board, and after a brief 
discussion were laid on the table, 
for the purpose of giving i^ie mem- 
bers time to think about them before 
acting upon them: 

Deeming- the Public Market House 
in this city (because of its ruinous 
and dilapidated appearance, and for 
many other causes), a public nuis- 
ance, and comparing the benefits 
arising from a continuance of the 
old market system with the impos- 
sibility almost of keeping the Market 
House and adjacent streets cleanly 
and in order, collecting dues, etc., 
and finding many large cities, viz., 
New Haven, Bridgeport, Newport, 
etc., neither of which have a market 
or any other people could desire, 
without the expense of building, or 
any of the attending difficulties. 

I would respectfully suggest the 
propriety and expediency of remov- 
ing the old market house entirely, as 
soon aftei- the first day of May next 
as possible, by sale at auction to the 
highest bidder, and I would recom- 
mend the conditions to be the re- 
moval of the house, and all rubbish 
caused by taking down the same from 
the street, as clean as it can be swept, 
in ten days from the time of sale. 

Sale to be for cash, or approved 



THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 



short note to the city treasurer, im- 
mediately after sale, or property at 
once to be put up again; which con- 
dition shall be made known before 
the sale. 

And I would further recommend 
the removal of the city scales from 
the present site to the square op- 
posite the Second Presbyterian 
Church, at or near the east end of 
Livingston avenue, trusting thereby 
that the city may avoid the expense 
of keeping- up a sewer to drain the 
pit in which the scales must be lo- 
cated. 

And I would recommend placing 
two rows of nicely turned and white 
painted posts, with a space of three 
or four feet between the rows, in 
Market square, extending from Neil- 
son to Dennis streets, with a con- 
tinuous chain attached, for the ac- 
commodation of two rows of wagons, 
standing back to back against said 
chains, for sale of vegetables, fruit, 
fish, etc., etc.; the square to be so 
occupied without charge, and kept 
clean by direction of the city mar- 
shal, as inspector or overseer of 
streets; and the ordinance prohibit- 
ing the sale of fish, meats, etc., in 
wagons throughout the streets of the 
city, to be hereafter stricly enforced 
by the marslial 

I would add that all market rents 
due the city have now been paid up 
to the first of May next, to the city 
treasurer, as required by ordinance. 
In accordance with the recommenda- 
tions 1 would offer the following reso- 
lutions, and move their adoption, be- 
lieving they will meet the approba- 
tion of nine-tenths of our citizens. 
LYLB VAN NUIS. 
Monday Evening, May 29, 1865. 
The Board met pursuant to adjourn- 
ment — all the members present. 

Alderman Henry offered the follow- 
ing preamble and resolution in refer- 
ence to the old Market House: — 
Whereas, The present Market House 
is a nuisance as well as a disgrace 
to the City of New Brunswick; and 
whereas, all appeals for the erection 
of a suitable building for a public 
Market have been voted down by 
our citizens; and whereas, this 
Board have ascertained that the 
present occupants of stalls therein 



are gradually giving up the same, 
thereby making the said Market 
House a bill of expense, instead of 
a source of revenue to the City; 
therefore. 

Resolved, That the City Clerk notify 
the occupants of stalls in the Market 
House that it is the intention of The 
Mayor and Common Council of the 
City of New Brunswick to cause the 
same to be removed on or before the 
1st day of July, 1865. 

Resolved, That the Committee on 
Public Buildings be directed to adver- 
tise the said public Market House at 
public auction to the highest cash bid- 
der who will remove the same with- 
in fifteen days from the date of sale. 

Resolved, That from and after the 
date of the sale the office of Clerk of 
the Market be abolished, and that the 
President of the Board together with 
the Committee on Markets be directed 
to revise the Market Oixlinance and 
Supplement, and report the same to 
Common Council. 

Resolved, That the Committee on 
Markets Le directed at once to cause 
the 25th section of the Ordinance con- 
cerning Markets, relative to the sale 
of fish in the public streets, to be 
strictly enforced. 

On motion of Alderman Jenkins, it 
was agreed that the public sale of the 
Market House should take place on the 
15th of June. The preamble and res- 
olutions were then adopted by the fol- 
lowing vote: Ayes — ^Castner, Chees- 
man, Grover, Henry, Jenkins, O'Gor- 
man, J. Runyon, Walling. Nays — An- 
nin. Cook, Dunham. 

Monday Evening, July 17. 

A regular meeting of Common Coun- 
cil was held, pursuant to adjourn- 
ment, on the above mentioned evening 
— all the members present except Al- 
derman O'Gorman. 

The Committee on Public Buildings 
reported as follows in reference to the 
sale of Old Market House: Cash re- 
ceived for the building above ground, 
$59; for the bell, $10.50; for the brick 
on floor, $30; total, $99.50. Less com- 
mission for selling the Market House, 
$5; leaving balance of $94.50. The 
Committee thought proper to reserve 
the curbing for the use of the city, and 
have put said curbing in the charge of 
the Street Commissioner. The report 
was accepted and ordered on file. 



THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 



The auctioneer was A. P. Provost, 
and the purchaser Nicholas Stobbe. 

Market Boomed Again in 1912. 

On July 8, 1912, the New Brunswick 
Public Market was incorporated with 
a capital stock of $50,000, the share- 
holders and the ainounts subscribed 
were. Alvin A. Hastings, $100; Isidor 
P. Hirsh, $200; Theodore Cohn, $100; 



Julius D. Posner, $100; Henry B. Zim- 
merman, $150; Edwin R. Van Pelt, 
$100; William F. Schlosser, $200; Wil- 
liam C. Jacques, $100; Morris Fischler, 
$125. 

The funds were returned some time 
after and the corporation dissolved. 
The building- this corporation had un- 
der consideration was King Block, on 
Burnet street, with an entrance on 
Dennis street. 



A LAMENT FOR THE OLD MARKET 

(By a Former Lodger.) 

O. where are the fondly loved scenes of 

my childhood. 
The place where so oft I have lain me 

to rest. 
What to me is the rose-scent and 

and sweets of the wild-wood. 
When inhaling the scent of the market 

with zest. 



As I lie on a stall in the summer eve 
dozing, 

Soothed to slumber by rats at their in- 
nocent play; 

With the odor of half-decayed mutton 
my nose in, — 

Alas! all these pleasures have vanish- 
ed away. 

O Bob, my old chuin, we are exiled 

forever. 
And gaze on those ruins with tears of 

regret ; 
But tears can't restore, though they 

flow like a river. 
Those times of enjoyment we ne'er can 

forget. 

Now, turning away with a sigh of 
deep feeling, 

And hearts sore oppressed with the 
weight of our woe, 

The thought to my mind rises silently 
stealing — - 

"O, where will poor Bob and his Theo- 
dore go?" 

— Daily Fredonian. 
July 18, 1865. 



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